1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and network element for connecting subscriber apparatus, such as conventional subscriber apparatus of a fixed telephone network, to a mobile network. The invention is advantageously applied to a GSM network, for example.
2. Description of the Related Art
A prior-art solution is disclosed in patent EP-779 757. Said document discloses a solution in which the users of a fixed telephone network are offered an arrangement where the users of fixed subscriber apparatus can obtain the same services as the users of a mobile network. The patent discloses a method in which a SIM card can be placed in a fixed subscriber apparatus. By means of the SIM card the fixed subscriber apparatus can be connected to a mobile switching center whereby the subscriber's subscriber data can be stored in a visitor location register.
However, the invention disclosed in said EP-779 757 has some drawbacks. In the solution according to the invention disclosed in EP-779 757, the user has to acquire a new subscriber apparatus in order to have access to the mobile network services. This is due to the fact that the access to the mobile network services is in said invention based on the presence of a SIM card in the subscriber apparatus. The cost of new subscriber equipment will be paid direct by the end user. Moreover, in the arrangement disclosed in said publication only fixed subscriber apparatus can be attached to the mobile network.